Off
by Reid Phantom
Summary: Off, that was the only way he could describe it. Not wrong, exactly, just off. He was close, but not quite right. Lance still felt off. Keith was being paranoid again.


**Spoilers for season 3**

* * *

Lance was the first to notice something was off.

Off, that was the only way he could describe it. Not wrong, exactly, just off. It was a presence hanging over him.

He was waiting for the other shoe to drop.

It was ridiculous, honestly.

Things were great! They finally had Shiro back!

And yet, he felt off.

He had watched Keith and Black bring Shiro in and the weight had formed.

They had scooped him out of the Galra fighter and the cruddy suit before spacing both. They didn't want to take any chances.

If there was anything tv and his time in space had taught Lance, it was that miracles could hide monsters.

Sometimes literally.

They let Keith take care of him after he got out of the pod. They didn't want to crowd him after what he'd been through.

What he might have been through? What he'd probably been through? What he should have been through, logically speaking.

When Keith returned, he had told them Shiro's story.

The story Shiro gave him.

The others accepted the story easily enough and Lance nodded his head as well.

There was something off in Keith's eyes.

Shiro had come into the bridge a while later.

"You're looking better."

He looked off.

He was wearing different clothes. His head was shaved differently. His hair floof didn't even look the same.

He deserved a change though. Lance was happy to have him back!

He was being ridiculous. He was probably just nervous about what having Shiro back meant for the team.

There was now six paladins and five lions.

He meant to just shove his feelings down like usual, so he's not sure how he ended up spilling his worries in Keith's room.

"Well, I mean, you're the leader now, right?"

Shiro's back though. He could have taken his thoughts to Shiro.

But Shiro was part of his worries.

Those weren't even the worries he brought up.

He left feeling… slightly more secure about his place on the team. Keith's particular brand of comfort wasn't the best, but he tried and that's really what mattered.

Lance still felt off.

* * *

Keith realized something was off soon after, though he shrugged it off.

Shiro's story didn't make sense. He tried to make sense of it, but something just didn't fit.

He's being paranoid.

When Shiro came onto the bridge, it was like meeting Sven all over again.

Except this was Shiro. His hair wasn't… right, but it was close to how he normally kept it.

Close.

Maybe that was the problem. His hair was close. His clothes were close. His body language and words and…

He was _close_ , but not quite right.

He was being paranoid again.

He was the Black Paladin now. He needed to be more trusting, like everyone was always telling him. He needed to loosen up. Open up.

Was he still the Black Paladin?

Shouldn't the Black Paladin still be cautious?

He missed Shiro.

Except Shiro was right there, wasn't he?

Of course he was!

Lance comes to him worried and a little voice that sounds like Shiro nags at him.

He's worried about Shiro.

He isn't worried about Shiro. He's worried about the team and how it will work with Shiro back. Lance offers to give up his place for Shiro. No, for Allura. Shiro already has a place.

He tries his best to comfort Lance, but he's not sure it works. Shiro would be better at that.

Shiro'd know how to handle this situation, except Shiro is the situation.

They get their mission and despite his words to Lance, he gives up his spot for Shiro. No, for Allura. Shiro already has a place, he reminds himself again.

Shiro can't pilot Black.

He gets in, but nothing happens.

Keith takes Black instead.

"Keith, I'm gonna need you to lead this mission."

Shiro takes charge at every turn. He overrides Keith's commands and the others follow his orders. They're happy to do so.

Keith should be happy too. He didn't want to lead. He's not good at it. He's the loner.

He's not Shiro.

 _Keith's_ not Shiro.

Shiro is…

Keith's being paranoid?

Something's off.

Shiro had wanted him to be the Black Paladin. Had tried to guide him on being a good leader before he had disappeared.

This wasn't guiding. This was yanking his reins.

This wasn't advice or offers of help, it was shoving him aside and doing it himself.

He comes by later to apologize.

"I'm proud of you, Keith."

Keith can't find it in him to believe it.

Something's just too off.

* * *

"Hey Lance, what did you need?"

"I… Nevermind. It's nothing. We don't need another heart to heart. I'm probably just being stupid again."

"Hey, stop! You're not stupid. If something's bothering you, you can tell me… Are you o-"

"He's not Shiro."

"… What?"

"No, I mean, he is, maybe. It's just… Something is just…"

"Off?"

"Yeah. Off."

"Yeah."

"You too?"

"I can't explain it."

"Same."

"He's Shiro. He has to be! This isn't another reality. Everything's the same. It's just… off."

"Shiro's off… What do we do?"

"… I want him to be Shiro."

"And you think I don't?"

"No! No, I just… We'll keep an eye on him. We should anyways, right?"

"Yeah, he just got taken by the Galra again. Who knows what they did? Maybe that's all it is. I mean, he probably wasn't the same guy before the Kerberos mission as he was after, right?"

"He wasn't. This feels different though."

"Well, maybe having to escape for the second time is going to leave an extra impression?"

"For the first time. At least on his own. Ulaz rescued him the first time. This time he did it on his own."

"He barely made it out the first time with help. That's…"

"I know."

"We should watch out for him. Make sure he's doing okay."

"Yeah. Make sure he's…"

"Not off."

* * *

 **If Kuron turns out to be Shiro, I'll smack myself. I knew there was something very very wrong with that boy the moment the episode started and "Shiro" was with the Galra. And between the Sven and one armed spy foreshadowing, the show's not really trying to be subtle.**

 **This is basically me freaking, but at the same time I can't help but think Keith, at the very least, actually caught a few things. Especially with Keith's face after Shiro said he was proud of him.**


End file.
